BALMORAL SUBSEA TEST CENTRE

Substantial investment has been made in improving and expanding the Balmoral Subsea Test Centre which is now the most comprehensive commercially available hydrostatic test facility in Europe.

23 vessels, ranging from 1010mm (3’3”) to 10,400mm (35’6”) in length, with internal diameters of 360mm (14”) to 2500mm (98”) and pressures to 700bar, allow us to perform testing to ensure subsea components are qualified for use in deepwater environments reaching depths of 7000msw.

5, 20 and 40 tonne lifting cranes, remote monitoring software and procedures are in place offering independent testing for all types of subsea equipment.

Standard tests include:

• Uplift determination
• Water ingress
• Instrumented buoyancy loss
• Hydrostatic compression and creep
• Hydrostatic collapse
• Bulk modulus
• Buckle arrestment performance
• Subsea controls testing
• Valve testing

The hydrostatic vessels use air driven liquid pumps and can accommodate electric, hydraulic and instrumentation connections. Each vessel can be fitted with chart recorders, pressure and temperature data loggers that provide highly detailed results for analysis, while a computer controlled hydrostatic test system that automatically performs customisable tests using high capacity intensifier pumps via touch screen is available on vessels TC1, 2 and 3. This allows pressure and temperature data to be fed back to a networked server providing remote real-time test monitoring.

A pan and tilt subsea camera can be placed in the vessels to visually monitor tests when required.

Balmoral’s multi-purpose load rig performs the following test-types and is available for third party use:

• Axial and lateral slip loads to 60t
• Static loading and 3-point bend to 100t
• Bend restrictor/stiffener load to 10t
• Bend restrictor locking radius measurement under load
• Compression and shear testing on companion cylinders to 200t and tensile testing to 150t
• Dropped weight and swing arm impact testing
• Lifting point/insert load testing

Due to the complexities of bespoke project testing, stringent customer specifications and compliance to standards such as API 17L1, Balmoral continually invests in state-of-the-art laboratory test equipment to ensure these requirements are satisfied. This programme of investment ensures the company retains total control over time schedules, test conditions and methodologies used to fulfil customer requirements.

Balmoral’s technical team works from the company’s new custom designed and purpose built laboratories at company HQ in Aberdeen – a state-of-the-art temperature and humidity controlled environment that is fully furnished with a wealth of chemical, thermal, hydrostatic and mechanical test equipment.

• A range of universal testing machines (10 tonnes maximum load) capable of performing fatigue, tensile, compression, flexure and hydrostatic pressure testing using a complementary pressure vessel at temperatures of -70ºC-+350ºC
• Dynamic fatigue test equipment for testing polyurethane materials fully submerged at elevated temperature
• Differential scanning calorimeters for determining specific heat capacity, glass transition temperatures and oxidation induction time of polymer products
• Lasercomp Fox 50 thermal analyser for the determination of thermal conductivity
• Gas pyknometers for determining the true density of materials such as powders and gels
• Temperature controlled water ageing baths
• Hydrothermal ageing cells for long term analysis of materials up to 260ºC
• Laboratory scale pressure vessels capable of operating at sub-ambient temperature to
200ºC and up to 10,150psi, 700bar
• Temperature and humidity environmental cabinets
• UV weathering cabinet
• Karl Fischer titrator for determination of water content
• Automated titrators for quantitative analysis
• Lab scale CNC machine for test piece preparation

Vessel	Orientation	Internal length mm / ft in	Internal dia mm / ft in	Safe working pressure psi / bar	Fresh water temp ºC	Penetrator qty	Penetrator ID mm	Crane capability Tonnes
TC1	Vertical	8,970 / 29' 5"	2,500 / 8' 2"	6,880 / 475	Ambient	8	100	40
TC2	Vertical	7,010 / 23'	1,800 / 5' 10"	6,880 / 475	Ambient to 50	2	100	40
TC3	Vertical	7,200 / 23' 7"	1,830 / 6'	5,940 / 410	Ambient	2	80	40
TC4	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC5	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC6	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC7	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC8	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC9	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	7,680 / 530	Ambient	2	60	40
TC10	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	2	60	40
TC11	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	2	60	40
TC12	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	2	60	40
TC13	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	2	60	40
TC14	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient to 50	2	60	40
TC15	Vertical	2,500 / 8' 2"	500 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient to 50	2	60	40
TC16	Horizontal	10,400 / 34' 1"	1,320 / 4' 3"	5,910 / 358	Ambient	2	70	12
TC17	Vertical	5,000 / 16' 5"	1,520 / 4' 11"	1,390 / 96	Ambient	2	60	12
TC18	Vertical	6,000 / 19' 8"	1,570 / 5' 1"	2,240 / 155	Ambient	2	60	12
TC19	Vertical	7,000 / 22' 11"	1,570 / 5' 1"	6,380 / 440	Ambient	2	60	12
TC20	Vertical	2,380 / 7' 9"	482 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	3	25	12
TC21	Vertical	2,380 / 7' 9"	482 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient	3	25	12
TC22	Vertical	2,380 / 7' 9"	482 / 1' 7"	10,150 / 700	Ambient to 50	3	25	12
TC23	Vertical	1,010 / 3' 3"	360 / 1' 2"	5,940 / 410	Ambient	1	50	12

Submersion test tanks are available for the following procedures:

• Product weight in water and air
• ROV submersion and functionality
• Submersion and gas leakage
• Underwater NDT inspection
• Flotation
• Riser testing
• Abandonment and cutting tool trials
• Stack up trials

Tank	Length mm / ft in	Width mm / ft in	Depth mm / ft in	Fresh water temp ºC	Crane capability Tonnes
Test tank 1	6,500 / 21' 3"	3,500 / 11' 5"	4,000 / 13'	Ambient	40
Test tank 2	6,600 / 21' 6"	2,300 / 7' 5"	2,200 / 7' 2"	Ambient	12
Test tank 3	Ø9,000 / 29' 6"	Ø9,000 / 29' 6"	4,500 / 14' 9"	Ambient	-

A fully comprehensive test rig for offshore wind‐related products comprises winches, tower, monopile and J‐tube entry options designed to simulate subsea interfaces and varying installation parameters.

Routine testing includes bending and axial stiffness, load, curvature, axial, operational and safety performance.

Component	Test	Load	Reasons
Standard dynamic unit (SDU)	Tension	100%; 150%; Destruction	To confirm axial stiffness and operational safety factors are accurate and validated. Precise axial stiffness numbers are vital for accurate global analysis.
Standard dynamic unit (SDU)	Bending and curvature	100%; 150%; Destruction	To confirm bending stiffness and operational safety factors are correct and validated. Precise bending stiffness numbers are vital for accurate global analysis. Curvature is also analysed using laser measurement to ensure cable MBRs are maintained.
Inline bend restrictors	Bending	100%; 150%	Validates the structural strength of bend restrictors.
Articulated pipe	Bending/tension	100%; 150%	Validates the structural strength of articulated pipe.
Foundation Interface Device (FID)	Bench top activation testing	Design loads	Validates activation loads are as designed and operation of the FID is flawless and repeatable. A critical test verifying the robustness and activation consistency of the most critical CPS component.
Full cable protection system (CPS)	Cable installation test	Optimised pull-in characteristics	Determines effective tow-in and tow-out parameters for the CPS to engage with a monopile and/or J-tube entry system.
Full cable protection system (CPS)	Cable installation test	Limit state pull-in characteristics	Determines the extreme limits of tow-in and tow-out parameters for the CPS to engage with a monopile and/or J-tube entry system. These consider aperture heights from 1.5-4.5m above seabed, with vessel positions 15-50m away from the aperture. Simulated water depths of 7.5-12.5m. Entry hole angles from seabed of 30-50˚ and entry angles from aperture hole of ±25deg.